European history Books
The History Press Ltd The Crimean War
Book SynopsisA newly updated edition of a classic from a well-known and -respected author
£16.19
Cornell University Press What Is to Be Done
Book SynopsisAlmost from the moment of its publication in 1863, Nikolai Chernyshevsky's novel, What Is to Be Done?, had a profound impact on the course of Russian literature and politics. The idealized image it offered of dedicated and self-sacrificing intellectuals transforming society by means of scientific knowledge served as a model of inspiration for...Trade ReviewNo work in modern literature, with the possible exception of Uncle Tom's Cabin, can compete with What Is to Be Done? in its effect on human lives and its power to make history. For Chernyshevsky's novel, far more than Marx's Capital, supplied the emotional dynamic that eventually went to make the Russian Revolution. * The Southern Review *In the Russian revolutionary movement, no literary work can compare in importance with Chernyshevsky's What Is to Be Done?.... Katz and Wagner have provided us with a version that is worthy of the novel's importance. Katz's translation is faithful to the original, yet cast in words that bring Chernyshevsky's meaning alive to modern readers.... Wagner, in turn, provides abundant notes, explaining obscure references, making connections between parts of the novel that could easily be missed on first reading, and alerting the reader to those many passages where Chernyshevksy hinted at what he could not say outright. * Russian History *
£20.39
Saqi Books Madam Ataturk
Book SynopsisAn international bestseller, this intimate biography vividly brings to life the story of an exceptional and courageous woman, well ahead of her time, who lived through a remarkable period in Turkish history.Trade Review`Rich, surprising and profound' Orhan Pamuk; `A daring biography' Independent; `Latife played a pivotal role in shaping the new Turkey - an acknowledgement of her contribution is long overdue.' New Internationalist; `This fascinating retelling highlights an important moment in the struggle for women's suffrage ... Poignant' The Lady; `A shining example of how history can and should be written' The Jordan Times
£11.69
Houghton Mifflin Blitzed
Book SynopsisA New York Times bestseller, Norman Ohler''s Blitzed is a fascinating, engrossing, often dark history of drug use in the Third Reich (Washington Post). The Nazi regime preached an ideology of physical, mental, and moral purity. Yet as Norman Ohler reveals in this gripping history, the Third Reich was saturated with drugs: cocaine, opiates, and, most of all, methamphetamines, which were consumed by everyone from factory workers to housewives to German soldiers. In fact, troops were encouraged, and in some cases ordered, to take rations of a form of crystal meth—the elevated energy and feelings of invincibility associated with the high even help to account for the breakneck invasion that sealed the fall of France in 1940, as well as other German military victories. Hitler himself became increasingly dependent on injections of a cocktail of drugs—ultimately including Eukodal, a cousin of heroin—administered
£15.99
Simon & Schuster Churchill and the Jews
Book SynopsisA fascinating and revealing exploration of Sir Winston Churchill's relationship with Israel, Jews and Jewishness, by his official biographer and one of the foremost historians of Judaism.
£11.04
Headline Publishing Group Courtiers
Book Synopsis''Fascinating'' The Times''Tantalising . . . Low''s conclusion is a valuable one.'' The TelegraphThe gripping account of how the Royal family really operates from the man who has spent years studying them in his role as Royal correspondent for The Times. Valentine Low asks the important questions: who really runs the show and, as Charles III begins his reign, what will happen next? Throughout history, the British monarchy has relied on its courtiers - the trusted advisers in the King or Queen''s inner circle - to ensure its survival as a family, an ancient institution, and a pillar of the constitution. Today, as ever, a vast team of people hidden from view steers the royal family''s path between public duty and private life. Queen Elizabeth II, after a remarkable 70 years of service, saw the final seasons of her reign without her husband Philip to guide her. Meanwhile, newly ascended Charles seeks to defTrade ReviewLow's enjoyable account... chronicles, and explains, the role of those courtiers whose role comes closest to public accountability... [and] there are tantalising unattributed snippets from private interviews... Low's conclusion is a valuable one * The Telegraph *Fascinating * The Times *This book is riveting. Extraordinarily well written, it canters along, packed with impeccable inside information. Low . . . is one of the exceptional minds writing about the British monarchy today -- Thomas Blaikie * Literary Review *Courtiers is an excellent royal romp based on fact. -- SphereCourtiers is a suave history of the monarchy over the past century, seen through the prism of those who serve it . . . a remarkable insight . . . and an important addition -- Mark Bolland * The Spectator *
£18.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Smolensk 1943
Book SynopsisSmolensk 1943 focuses on a major offensive that is virtually unknown in the West. With the German defeat at Kursk, the Soviet Stavka (high command) ordered the Western and Kalinin Fronts to launch Operation Suvorov in order to liberate the important city of Smolensk. The Germans had held this city for two years and Heeresgruppe Mitte''s (Army Group Centre) 4. Armee had heavily fortified the region. The Soviet offensive began in August 1943 and quickly realized that the German defenses were exceedingly tough and that the Western Front had not prepared adequately for an extended offensive. Consequently, the Soviets were forced to pause their offensive after only two weeks, replenish their combat forces, and then begin again. The German 4. Armee was commanded by Generaloberst Gotthard Heinrici, one of the Wehrmacht''s top defensive experts. Although badly outnumbered, Heinrici''s army gamely held off two Soviet fronts for seven weeks. EventualTrade ReviewMedal of Recommendation * Miniature Wargames *Table of ContentsOrigins of the campaign /Chronology /Opposing commanders /Opposing armies /Orders of battle /Opposing plans /The campaign /Aftermath /The battlefields today /Further reading /Index
£15.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Armies of the Great Northern War 17001720
Book SynopsisThis detailed study explains and illustrates the Russian, Scandinavian, Polish, and German armies of the crucial series of wars that saw Russia''s arrival as a great military power in Northern Europe, displacing Sweden''s 60-year hegemony.The Great Northern War was a long series of campaigns in which Russia, linked with several other countries in temporary alliances, confronted and eventually replaced Sweden as the predominant power in Northern Europe. While contemporary with the Duke of Marlborough''s pivotal campaigns against France, the Great Northern War was in fact more decisive, since it reshaped the Northern European power balance up to the eve of the Napoleonic Wars.It began with a series of astonishing Swedish victories lead by King Charles XII, from Denmark to Poland and deep into Germany. But Peter the Great of Russia showed steadfast determination, and Charles overreached himself when he invaded Russia in 1708; the Russians adopted classic scorchedTable of ContentsIntroduction: Northern and Eastern Europe at the dawn of the 18th century. * The road to war; Russian alliances with Poland, Saxony, Denmark etc. challenge Swedish predominance. * Chronology. [Following chapters each cover organization, uniforms and weapons of the armies of: ] * Russia * Sweden * Denmark * Saxony * Prussia * Hanover * Holstein * Poland-Lithuania * Cossacks * Ottoman Turks, Moldavians, Wallachians, Tatars . * Plate commentaries.
£11.39
Pan Macmillan On Consolation: Finding Solace in Dark Times
Book SynopsisAs read on BBC Radio 4's 'Book of the Week', a timely, moving and profound exploration of how writers, composers and artists have searched for solace while facing loss, tragedy and crisis, from the historian and Booker Prize-shortlisted novelist Michael Ignatieff.'This erudite and heartfelt survey reminds us that the need for consolation is timeless, as are the inspiring words and examples of those who walked this path before us.' Toronto StarWhen we lose someone we love, when we suffer loss or defeat, when catastrophe strikes – war, famine, pandemic – we go in search of consolation. Once the province of priests and philosophers, the language of consolation has largely vanished from our modern vocabulary, and the places where it was offered, houses of religion, are often empty. Rejecting the solace of ancient religious texts, humanity since the sixteenth century has increasingly placed its faith in science, ideology, and the therapeutic.How do we console each other and ourselves in an age of unbelief? In a series of portraits of writers, artists, and musicians searching for consolation – from the books of Job and Psalms to Albert Camus, Anna Akhmatova, and Primo Levi – writer and historian Michael Ignatieff shows how men and women in extremity have looked to each other across time to recover hope and resilience. Recreating the moments when great figures found the courage to confront their fate and the determination to continue unafraid, On Consolation takes those stories into the present, movingly contending that we can revive these traditions of consolation to meet the anguish and uncertainties of the twenty-first century.Trade ReviewIlluminating and moving, these wide-ranging portraits of men and women seeking answers in dark times . . . appeal to us all, as a universal quest and an intimate personal testament. -- Jenny Uglow, author of Mr. Lear: A Life of Art and NonsenseAn extraordinary meditation on loss and mortality - drawing on all of Michael Ignatieff’s powers as a philosopher, a historian, a politician and a man. -- Rory Stewart, author of The Places in BetweenReading this book is like taking a walk along a winding path with a dear friend and sharing life’s travails . . . At the end, you feel enlivened, fortified, and somehow just a little wiser. This is a bold, brilliant, and yes, moving book. -- Lisa Appignanesi, author of Everyday Madness: On Grief, Anger, Loss and LoveIn an age when we are so much in need of solace, Michael Ignatieff went looking for it in textsand times whose assumptions are profoundly different from our own . . . elegant, humane and intensely rewarding. -- Kwame Anthony Appiah, author of The Lies that Bind: Rethinking IdentityIt is at once illuminating, moving and consoling, to follow Michael Ignatieff as he searches formoments of consolation across the centuries. With resolute honesty Ignatieff follows the searchinto his own inner life, grappling, as we all must do, with failure, loss, and death. -- Stephen Greenblatt, author of The Swerve: How the World Became ModernThis is an extraordinarily moving book. The idea of solidarity in time is itelf consoling, amidst so much loss: in Ignatieff’s words, “we are not alone, and we never have been”. -- Emma Rothschild, author of The Inner Life of EmpiresA wonderful balance of literary survey and personal reflection, this book is wide-ranging, moving, and stylishly written. It makes the perfect introduction to a genre that never goes out of fashion. -- Sarah Bakewell, author of How to Live and At the Existentialist CaféOn Consolation is splendidly immune to the panics of our age. Written with eloquence in anaffecting spirit of humility by a man of uncommon intelligence, for many of its readers thisbook will be—is there any higher praise for a study of this subject?—useful. -- Leon Wieseltier, author of KaddishA passionate, thought-provoking, unpredictable book. -- Carlo Ginzburg, author of Threads and TracesReading [Ignatieff's] memorable portraits of historical figures who needed, sought, lost, or found consolation leaves the reader with a deeper appreciation of the profound challenges and possibilities that life lays before every one of us. -- Mark Lilla, author of The Reckless MindAn inspiration for those in need of words to carry on with life. * Kirkus *
£9.49
Basic Books The Library: A Fragile History
Book Synopsis
£26.25
PublicAffairs,U.S. The Compatriots: The Russian Exiles Who Fought
Book SynopsisFrom the time of the tsars to the waning days of Communist regime, Russian leaders tried to control the flow of ideas by controlling its citizens' movements. They believed strict limits on travel combined with censorship was the best way to escape the influence of subversive Western ideologies. Yet Russians continued to emigrate westward, both to seek new opportunities and to flee political crises at home. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Russians' presence in Western countries - particularly the United States - has been for the Kremlin both the biggest threat and the biggest opportunity. It sought for years to use the Russian emigre community to achieve Russia's goals - espionage to be sure but also to influence policies and public opinion. Russia's exiles are a potent mix of the very rich and the very driven, some deeply hostile to their homeland and others deeply patriotic. Russia, a vast, insular nation, depends on its emigres - but it cannot always count on them.Celebrated Moscow-based journalists Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan masterfully look at the complex, ever-shifting role of Russian emigres since the October Revolution to the present day. From comely secret agents to tragically doomed dissidents, the story of Russian emigres is at times thrilling, at times touching and always full of intrigue. But their influence and importance is an invaluable angle through which to understand Russia in the modern world.
£22.50
Seven Stories Press,U.S. The Years
Book SynopsisThe latest, astonishing and award-winning book by acclaimed French author Annie Ernaux.
£10.44
Gibson Square Books Ltd Blowing up Russia: The Book that Got Litvinenko
Book SynopsisUpdated edition of the book that got former FSB Colonel Alexander Litvinenko killed according to MI6. It unveils the first-ever fake news campaign that the FSB created to have former FSB head Vladimir Putin elected as President of Russia.Trade Review`A book that should contain a very serious health warning on the cover.' Andrew Marr, Sunday AM - `Tightly argued.' Sunday Times - Sunday Times Best Current Affairs Book - `Frightening.' Sunday Telegraph - `Disturbing reading.' Mail on Sunday - `One of the severest attacks on the present Russian leadership in print.' Tribune - `Rich in political intrigue.' Good Book Guide - `Pull-no-punches expose.' Independent - `Iconic.' Sunday Business Post (Ireland) - `Was Litvinenko murdered because of this book?' Irish Independent - `For clues as to who wanted Alexander Litvinenko, you need look no farther.' Oleg Gordievsky, The Times - `Demands our attention.' Nicholas Shakespeare, Daily Telegraph - `As vivid condemnation of the Putin regime as has yet been written.' Sunday Times - `A spy shocker.' Western Morning News - `Crucially important.' Robert Service, Professor of Russian History Oxford University, Sunday Times
£10.44
Granta Books Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 'A heartbreaking, beautifully written book. A classic for sure' Claire Tomalin, Guardian Extraordinary true stories of those who lived in East Germany. Travel through the remains of East Germany with Anna Funder as she meets the people who lived in the GDR before the fall of the wall. There is Miriam, condemned as an enemy of the state at sixteen. She hears the heartbreaking story of Frau Paul, who was separated from her young baby by the Berlin Wall. And she gets drunk with the legendary 'Mik Jegger' of the East, a man once declared by the authorities - to his face - to no longer exist. Then she meets the Stasi themselves - men and women who spied on their families and friends - people who, despite everything, are still loyal to the vanished regime and who long for the return of Communism. Stasiland is a gripping portrait of the horror and the absurdities of state oppression. In a world of total surveillance, its celebration of resilience and resistance is as potent as ever. 'A brilliant and necessary book about oppression and history... Here is someone who knows how to tell the truth' Rachel Cusk 'Superb... Funder skillfully deploys fictional techniques to make the material jump off the page... Vividly conveyed [with] flashes of humour too' Independent on SundayTrade ReviewThese rigorously researched, tenderly told stories of life inside East Germany won the Samuel Johnson prize a decade ago... Funder illuminates her subjects with humanity... remarkable investigative journalism -- Arifa Akbar * Independent *Anna Funder's Stasiland demonstrates that great, original reporting is still possible. She found her subject in East Germany, went for it bravely and delivers the goods in a heartbreaking, beautifully written book. A classic for sure -- Claire Tomalin * Guardian *A brilliant and necessary book about oppression and history ... Here is someone who knows how to tell the truth -- Rachel Cusk * Evening Standard *Superb... Funder skilfully deploys fictional techniques to make the material jump off the page: crafted scenes with their own story-arcs, naturalistic dialogue, fully-realised characters with their own plotlines... Vividly conveyed [with] flashes of humour too -- Brandon Robshaw * Independent on Sunday ***** *A journey into the bizarre, scary, secret history of the former East Germany that is both relevant and riveting -- Anthony Sattin * Sunday Times *In Stasiland, her first book, [Funder] spiritedly plunges herself into "this land gone wrong" and attempts to understand a regime like the German Democratic Republic through the stories of ordinary men and women, "not just the activists or the famous writers". The result is a terrific act of life-giving to a people - 17 million of them - who have hitherto lacked not just a voice but an audience -- Nicholas Shakespeare * Telegraph *Written with rare literary flair. I can think of no better introduction to the brutal reality of East German repression * Sunday Telegraph *Funder is a superb interviewer ... she truly excels in the rendering of her sessions with former Stasi employees.This foreign perspective adds a unique dimension to Stasiland. Funder seems to be asking all the questions East and West Germans should be asking themselves. In the book's stunning opening, she describes herself being hungover in Berlin and bumping into things on the street: "Tomorrow bruises will develop on my skin, like a picture from a negative." It is a perfect description of the astonishing effect Stasiland has on the reader: a slow-motion understanding of decades of human pain and cruelty -- Elena Lappin * Sunday Times *The best account of the strange, secretive place on the other side of the wall -- William Leith * Evening Standard *These are haunting accounts of an Orwellian time through which no one lived through without paying a high personal price -- Alastair Mabbott * Herald *These encounters with survivors are harrowing and, until this book, almost forgotten -- Fiona Wilson * The Times *Funder skilfully deploys fictional techniques to make the material jump off the page: naturalistic dialogue, fully-realised characters with their own plotlines. It conveys a grim atmosphere - but there are flashes of humour too -- Brandon Robshaw * Irish Independent *Compelling... A fascinating book made all the more affecting by Funder's writing, making non-fiction read like a novel -- SJ Watson ‘My six best books’ * Daily Express *
£10.44
Atlantic Books The Florentines: From Dante to Galileo
Book SynopsisBetween the birth of Dante in 1265 and the death of Galileo in 1642 something happened which completely revolutionized Western civilization. Painting, sculpture and architecture would all visibly change in a striking fashion. Likewise, the thought and self-conception of humanity would take on a completely different aspect. Sciences would be born - or emerge in an entirely new guise.In this sweeping 400-year history, Paul Strathern reveals how, and why, these new ideas which formed the Renaissance began, and flourished, in the city of Florence. Just as central and northern Germany gave birth to the Reformation, Britain was a driver of the Industrial Revolution and Silicon Valley shaped the digital age, so too, Strathern argues, did Florence play a similarly unique and transformative role in the Renaissance.While vividly bringing to life the city and a vast cast of characters - including Dante, Botticelli, Machiavelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Galileo - Strathern shows how these great Florentines forever altered Europe and the Western world.Trade ReviewA thought-provoking re-examination of the great Florentine artists, scientists and business wizards of the Renaissance... Strathern has an engaging habit of dwelling on the close connection in the Florentine cultural sphere between art and money, matters seldom so intimately juxtaposed...His prose glimmers with the spark of rekindled discovery. * Wall Street Journal *Strathern keeps readers engaged throughout with a sprinkling of colourful anecdotes, often taken from contemporary (or slightly later) sources... Those coming to the period for the first time will be able to sense the flavour of the social, political and cultural life that shaped a city that still attracts so many tourists. * BBC History Magazine *[Strathern] has a knack for conveying in pleasing prose, spiced with anecdotes, the essentials of an argument, an interesting juxtaposition, or the importance of an episode or person. * Times Literary Supplement *Vivid biographical sketches cast famous Florentines in a more dynamic light than most modern portrayals... Buoyed by incisive details and a brisk pace, this is a welcome introduction to the city and the personalities behind the Renaissance. * Publishers Weekly *If Vanity Fair magazine had existed during the Renaissance, every issue might have brought tales of Florentine A-listers and their power plays, artistic triumphs, sexual exploits, and financial chicanery. Strathern aims to show how such Florentines paved the way for a global humanism focused on people's lives on Earth instead of on the medieval view that existence was only preparation for an afterlife. Strathern is an intellectually agile writer who covers four centuries briskly - and serves up occasional surprises. * Kirkus Reviews *Strathern meticulously guides readers through the lives of famous Renaissance visionaries... this book doesn't just describe each individuals' accomplishments, but also shows how their lives full of shared experiences and unique circumstances were intricately intertwined in a way which positioned them to lead Europe into the Renaissance. Bringing the Renaissance into better focus, this well-researched work is highly recommended for readers with an interest in the era, art history, and Italian history. * Library Journal *Very occasionally we are offered an entirely new perspective on a body of detail with which we already seem entirely familiar but which has the effect of transforming our understanding. Paul Strathern's The Florentines is such a work... Powerfully argued and very carefully researched... A major commentary on the development and evolution of the Renaissance. * Historical Association *A marvelous, wide-ranging, and accessible history of Florence and the historical giants from the city that have influenced the course of western civilization. There should be more history books like The Florentines to delve in specific time periods and geographic locations. It is not just the intrinsically interesting period that Strathern delves into that makes this a truly excellent book, but his skill at understanding and connecting the people and ideas of the time. * The Interim, ‘Book of the Week’ *Well-written and exhaustively researched... It is a page-turner, and on that presents a fascinating new perspective on the stories and people of Florence. * All About History *Table of Contents1: Dante and Florence 2: Wealth, Freedom and Talent 3: A Clear Eye Amidst Troubled Times 4: Boccaccio and Petrarch 5: War and Peace 6: The Dome 7: The Mathematical Artists 8: Those Who Paid the Bills 9: The Renaissance Spreads Its Wings 10: Medici Rising 11: A Medici Artist 12: Il Magnifico 13: Leonardo 14: Shifting Ground 15: Undercurrents 16: The Bonfire of the Vanities 17: Machiavelli 18: Michelangelo 19: Galileo 20: Epilogue
£10.44
Profile Books Ltd A Short History of England
Book SynopsisFrom the invaders of the dark ages to the aftermath of the coalition, one of Britain's most respected journalists, Simon Jenkins, weaves together a strong narrative with all the most important and interesting dates in a book that characteristically is as stylish as it is authoritative. A Short History of England sheds light on all the key individuals and events, bringing them together in an enlightening and engaging account of the country's birth, rise to global prominence and then partial eclipse.There have been long synoptic histories of England but until now there has been no standard short work covering all significant events, themes and individuals. Now updated to take in the rapid progress of recent events and beautifully illustrated, this magisterial history will be the standard work for years to come.Trade ReviewA lucid and handsomely illustrated narrative, from the Saxon dawn of England to the Cameron Government * The Times *Full of stand-out facts ... Absolutely fascinating ... I've learnt an awful lot -- Richard Bacon, BBC Radio 2Let Jenkins sweep you through England's history, painting a vivid picture of this country's green and pleasant land * City AM *Where Jenkins excels is in his very journalistic approach ... The historical events are joined up, and work as narrative * Time Out *Immediately accessible * Prospect *This is traditional, kings-and-things, great-men history with all its dates and famous quotations in place ... it's jolly good ... Jenkins has a newspaper columnist's aphoristic verve ... judgements are crisp * Spectator *Entertaining * Sunday Times *Full of good writing and lively anecdotes ... worth perusing for pleasure and food for thought * New Statesman *A characteristically bold, wry, fluent, combative gallop through English history -- Max Hastings
£10.44
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Hitler Years ~ Triumph 1933 - 1939
Book SynopsisThe first volume of a new narrative history of the rise and fall of the Nazi regime, by an expert on the Third Reich. 'One of the books of the year' Dan Snow 'A masterclass in the history of Nazi Germany' Get History 'What makes this volume really stand out is its stylish design and more than 80 coloured photographs' Military History On 30 January 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed the German Chancellor of a coalition government by President Hindenburg. Within a few months he had installed a dictatorship, jailing and killing his leftwing opponents, terrorising the rest of the population and driving Jews out of public life. He embarked on a crash programme on militaristic Keynesianism, reviving the economy and achieving full employment through massive public works, vast armaments spending and the cancellations of foreign debts. After the grim years of the Great Depression, Germany seemed to have been reborn as a brutal and determined European power. Over the course of the years from 1933 to 1939, Hitler won over most of the population to his vision of a renewed Reich. In these years of domestic triumph, cunning manoeuvres, pitting neighbouring powers against each other and biding his time, we see Hitler preparing for the moment that would realise his ambition. But what drove Hitler's success was also to be the fatal flaw of his regime: a relentless belief in war as the motor of greatness, a dream of vast conquests in Eastern Europe and an astonishingly fanatical racism. In The Hitler Years, Frank McDonough charts the rise and fall of the Third Reich under Hitler's hand. The first volume, Triumph, ends after Germany's comprehensive military defeat of Poland in 1939.Trade ReviewA masterclass in the history of Nazi Germany, with an internationally renowned expert as the teacher * Get History *What makes this volume really stand out is its stylish design and more than 80 coloured photographs, punctuating the account of Hitler's slow but inevitable march to war * Military History *With an eye for telling detail, McDonough tells the monstrous but well-known story in an attractive fresh way -- Andrew RobertsOne of the books of the year -- Dan SnowAn expert, disheartening account of the first seven years of Hitler's chancellorship... Hitler biographies are not in short supply, but this one is worthy of study * Kirkus Reviews *Triumph is the more interesting for pushing back against the cartoon of Hitler as all-conquering monster-supermensch. Instead it demonstrates the slow creep of the Nazi state takeover, the caution with which Hitler had to move, the resistance that he often faced and his surprising, instinctive flexibility * Oldie *McDonough points to the starker reality. In Nazi Germany, citizens worked more hours for less pay. Nor was there any great altering of class consciousness or redistribution of wealth as there had been in, say, the Soviet Union. The other central claim this excellent book makes is that Hitler's road to power was one where flexibility co-existed in tandem with shifting political events in real time. The historian insists that Nazi Germany was not a totalitarian society in the way that Stalinist Russia was. Hitler's appointment as Chancellor of Germany in January 1933, after all, was both legal and constitutional. There was no violent revolution as there had been in Russia in 1917 or France in 1789 * Irish Independent *The book unfolds like a thrilling Scorsese-directed gangster movie. It could certainly form the basis of a blockbuster. McDonough treats his readers to all the fascinating insights one would expect from a rich career of study as he dedicates an entire chapter to each year of Adolf Hitler's evil rule in the 1930s * History of War Magazine *This first volume of McDonough's mega two-volume history is aptly subtitled, 'Triumph', for that is what it is. Everybody even remotely interested in Nazi Germany should have an empty space on their bookshelf, waiting to be filled by volume 2. McDonough's prose matches the rigour of Kershaw, the wit of Evans and the fluency of Shirer. But he brings a new and distinctive clarity to this subject which is all too often lost in the thematic or obscured by the overly academic -- Luke Daly-GrovesI've read every book written about the 2nd Word War, I think. Frank McDonough's latest is the clearest, most brilliant writing on the drumbeat to conflict I've ever absorbed. Cannot wait for volume 2 -- Danny BakerMcDonough presents Hitler as 'a master of flexibility and improvisation' in his takeover of the German government, and delves deeply into his power struggles and shifting alliances with business leaders, civil service bureaucrats, and military officials * Publishers Weekly *A nuanced overview of the early days of Nazi Germany... A work that will bridge the divide between popular and academic audiences * Library Journal *
£11.40
Profile Books Ltd Nella Last's War: The Second World War Diaries of
Book SynopsisIn September 1939, housewife and mother Nella Last began a diary whose entries, in their regularity, length and quality, have created a record of the Second World War which is powerful, fascinating and unique. When war broke out, Nella's younger son joined the army while the rest of the family tried to adapt to civilian life. Writing each day for the "Mass Observation" project, Nella, a middle-aged housewife from the bombed town of Barrow, shows what people really felt during this time. This was the period in which she turned 50, saw her children leave home, and reviewed her life and her marriage - which she eventually compares to slavery. Her growing confidence as a result of her war work makes this a moving (though often comic) testimony, which, covering sex, death and fear of invasion, provides a new, unglamorised, female perspective on the war years.'Next to being a mother, I'd have loved to write books.' Oct 8, 1939Trade ReviewA classic of wartime literature...highly engaging, very moving. All Home Front life is here, especially the kitchen sink * Simon Garfield *I relished it...her personality is so powerful...There are so many things to admire about her. * Margaret Forster *A fantastic story...This is not the war of the newsreels - it's about tiny domestic difficulties, lumpy custard... * Victoria Wood *I adored [it.]. An extraordinary glimpse into the heart of an 'ordinary' woman, Nella Last's day-to-day account of her war is spirited, poignant and utterly compelling. * Lucy Moore *
£8.54
Atlantic Books Victoria: A Life
Book Synopsis'Writing about Queen Victoria has been one of the most joyous experiences of my life. I have read thousands (literally) of letters never before published, and grown used to her as to a friend. Maddening? Egomaniac? Hysterical? A bad mother? Some have said so. What emerged for me was a brave, original woman who was at the very epicentre of Britain's changing place in the world: a solitary woman in an all-male world who understood politics and foreign policy much better than some of her ministers; a person possessed by demons, but demons which she was brave enough to conquer. Above all, I became aware, when considering her eccentric friendships and deep passions, of what a loveable person she was.' A. N. WilsonTrade Review[A] splendid biography - this book is a gem: thoughtful, witty, insightful, striking a balance between political commentary and personal gossip... As this terrific biography shows, there really was a human being behind the gloomy portraits. -- Dominic Sandbrook * Evening Standard *Subtle, thoughtful ... a shimmering and rather wonderful biography -- Kathryn Hughes * Guardian *Wilson is affectionately alert to the rich contradictions of his subject's personality, and his deliciously readable biography becomes increasingly fascinating as Victoria's reign unfolds. -- Jane Shilling * Daily Mail - Book of the Week *This superb revisionist biography is the book that he was born to write. Wilson clearly loves and admires his subject, but this is a critical biography - funny, insightful, original and authoritative. At last Victoria has been rescued from her widow's weeds. -- Jane Ridley * Spectator *A. N. Wilson brings his novelist's perception and immense knowledge of the era to his effervescent biography of the tiny woman (4ft 11in) who ruled Britain for 61 years... This won't be the last biography of Victoria but it is certainly the most interesting and original in a long time. -- Daisy Goodwin * Sunday Times *Ninety-five years ago, the standard was set by Lytton Strachey's lucid and moving Queen Victoria but A. N. Wilson has now raised the bar... And what a pity she never met A. N. Wilson: she shines in his company ... [this] expansive and victorious book. -- Frances Wilson * Daily Telegraph *A. N. Wilson has written a sympathetic but by no means hagiographic biography of her that will probably overturn many people's prejudiced conception of her... Wilson's picture of her is a rounded one, with her vices and virtues. -- Theodore Dalrymple * The Times * A biographer of Queen Victoria also needs to be a good historian, with a confident grasp of the personalities and issues of 19th-century public life. Mr Wilson is at his best here... This is a bracing biography of a bracing woman ... it undeniably achieves its central aim to make us take Queen Victoria more seriously. -- Michael Hall * Country Life *Wilson is an excellent history teacher. He orders and narrates the hugely complex socio-political events and party infighting of the 19th century with a rare clarity... His own achievement, sustained by a lifetime's scholarly fascination with the Victorian era, is also in its way, awesome. -- John Sutherland * Financial Times *Few if any previous biographers have viewed her as incisively and absorbingly as Wilson does in his... smoothly flowing treatment of the queen's long life. The considerable detail he brings to his greatly balanced portrait not only strengthens his estimation of the significance of the queen in British governmental history but also successfully conveys for the general reader all the nuances of character that Wilson so carefully shares. -- Brad Hooper * Booklist, starred review *
£13.49
The Crowood Press Ltd The World War II Tommy: British Army Uniforms
Book SynopsisA paperback edition of this classic work, which describes and illustrates the uniforms and equipment of the WWII British soldier using original items worn by live models in authentic settings.
£17.99
Scribe Publications After the Romanovs: the extraordinary lives of
Book SynopsisA TLS AND PROSPECT BOOK OF THE YEAR The scintillating story of the Russian aristocrats, artists, and intellectuals who sought refuge in interwar Paris. The fall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917 forced thousands of Russians to flee their homeland with only the clothes on their backs. Many came to France’s glittering capital, Paris. Former princes drove taxicabs, while their wives found work in the fashion houses. Intellectuals, artists, poets, philosophers, and writers eked out a living at menial jobs; some found success until the economic downturn of the 1930s hit. In exile, White Russians sought to overthrow the Bolshevik regime from afar, and double agents plotted from both sides. Many Russians became trapped in a cycle of poverty and their all-consuming homesickness. This is their story.Trade Review‘The top-notch historian Helen Rappaport brings to life the world of the Russian aristocrats, artists, and intellectuals who sought refuge in belle époque Paris. Plotting, gossip, homesickness, and champagne.’ -- Robbie Millen * The Times *‘Entertaining and, at times, heart-wrenching … Rappaport, a prolific historian and highly regarded Romanov expert, unveils a Paris in which Russians had long played a prominent role.’ -- Douglas Smith * Wall Street Journal *‘Full of colourful anecdotes and sharp character sketches, this breezy account of life in exile entertains.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Throughout, [Helen Rappaport], a consummate historian, displays her deep research into the era, the city, and its denizens. A culturally vibrant account of Russians uprooted to Paris during a tumultuous time.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘Well-researched, readable, and poignant.’ -- Edward Lucas * The Times *‘Enjoyable … entertaining.’ -- Victor Sebestyen * The Spectator *‘Evocative.’ -- Michael Prodger * New Statesman *‘A thorough and extremely well-researched examination of the Russian experience in Paris before and after the Bolshevik uprising on 1917 ... those interested in exploring a variety of unique perspectives on the Russian Revolution will find a wealth of information within these pages.’ -- Lucy Roehrig * Booklist *‘Memoirs and literature deftly round out [Rappaport’s] historical reporting to create a vivid picture of the wrenching life change that thousands of Russians underwent … This narrative nonfiction will appeal to those interested in Russian history, especially the Russian Revolution, and to readers of historical fiction by authors like Ken Follett or Marie Benedict.’ -- Laurie Unger Skinner * Library Journal *‘[An] absorbing and poignantly topical account of life in exile ... Harrowing, inspiring, and illuminating.’ -- Miranda Seymour * Literary Review *‘Rappaport’s engaging prose and prodigious research makes After the Romanovs a touching and enlightening experience … In this detailed history, Russian nobility and intelligentsia, fleeing the Bolshevik Revolution, wrestle with poverty and memories of a rosier life.’ -- Peggy Kurkowski * Shelf Awareness *‘Read Rappaport’s excellent book to develop a better sense of why they did what they did, and what became of the people who helped shape the Russia of old. What a story.’ -- John Tamny * Forbes *‘Widely researched and pleasantly readable.’ -- Rupert Christiansen * The Telegraph *‘Traces the Russian encounter with Paris from the city’s glittering years as an expat playground before World War I to the grimmer reality of life in exile after the Bolshevik seizure of power.’ -- Rebecca Reich * New York Times Book Review *‘As a collective biography of some of the prominent artistic and aristocratic figures, After the Romanovs conjures up a real sense of the social and cultural lives of elite Russian Paris across the revolutionary divide.’ -- Charlotte Alston * BBC History Magazine *‘From the masterful pen of Helen Rappaport … told in her characteristically engaging style.’ -- Owen Matthews * The Oldie *‘Vivid and harrowing.’ * Air Mail *‘The depth of the research is impressive, and the scope of the book is ambitious. Rappaport successfully traces those first Belle Époque artists and royals, those who were forced to flee with nothing during the revolution, and their experiences through World War I and beyond.’ * Bookreporter *‘One of the effects of the Romanov dynasty’s fall in 1917 was a flood of Russian refugees into Europe, including the arrival of aristocrats, artists, writers, and intellectuals who landed in Paris at the height of the city’s creative ferment. Helen Rappaport tells their stories with marvelous skill and empathy.’ * Christian Science Monitor *‘Rappaport’s stories beg to be shared. Her reader comes out wiser.’ -- David Herkt * The New Zealand Herald *‘Enlivening, enlightening detail is Rappaport's fotre. Her Petrograd book is stuffed full of such anecdotes, but After the Romanovs is a worthy competitor.’ -- Mark Thomas * The Canberra Times *‘Compellingly sketched … evocative and often moving.’ * History Revealed *‘Perhaps the most fascinating of all the migrations of the turbulent European 20th century is that of the Russians who fled upheaval in their homeland and found their way to Paris. Certainly, at least if Helen Rappaport’s barnstorming book After the Romanovs is anything to go by, they had some of the most amazing stories.’ -- Charlie Connelly * The New European *‘Grippingly described … an accomplished chronicler of the last days of the royals.’ -- Bruce Clark * The Tablet *Praise for Four Sisters: ‘One of the greatest skills a historian can possess is to make readers feel as if they have stepped back in time to witness the characters, places, and events they describe. In her stunning composite biography, Helen Rappaport achieves this to dazzling and, at times, almost unbearably poignant effect.’ -- Tracy Borman * BBC History Magazine *Praise for Four Sisters: ‘The public spoke of the sisters in a genteel, superficial manner, but Rappaport captures sections of letters and diary entries to showcase the sisters’ thoughtfulness and intelligence. Readers will be swept up in the author’s leisurely yet informative narrative as she sheds new light on the lives of the four daughters.’ STARRED REVIEW * Publishers Weekly *Praise for The Race to Save the Romanovs: ‘Excellent … Helen Rappaport, one of today’s leading experts on the last Romanovs, has dug deeply in archives around the world and uncovered a wealth of new information that is certain to make The Race to Save the Romanovs the definitive work on the subject … thanks to her excellent book, she has put to rest the fallacy that any one person could have saved the last Romanovs, either from the Bolsheviks or from themselves.’ -- Douglas Smith * The Los Angeles Review of Books *Praise for The Race to Save the Romanovs: ‘Absolutely marvellous.’ -- Peter FrankopanPraise for The Race to Save the Romanovs: ‘Highly entertaining ... [Rappaport] is a vivid storyteller.’ * The Sunday Times *Praise for The Race to Save the Romanovs: ‘Devastating, complex, and fast-moving … This is a well-researched account of a colourful, suspenseful, and tragic series of events.’ * Publishers Weekly *Praise for Caught in the Revolution: ‘Gripping, vivid, deeply researched, [and] superbly narrated.' -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, historian and bestselling author of The Romanovs 1613 – 1918Praise for Caught in the Revolution: ‘Narrative history at its very best.’ * BBC History Magazine *Praise for The Race to Save the Romanovs: ‘Groundbreaking.’ * The Daily Telegraph *Praise for No Place for Ladies: ‘Poignant and inspirational, well researched yet thoroughly readable, No Place for Ladies is the untold story of war, love, death — and the brave women, from nurses to countesses, who went out to the Crimea.’ -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, historian and bestselling author of The Romanovs 1613-1918
£10.44
University of Oklahoma Press With Zeal and With Bayonets Only The British
Book Synopsis
£21.95
Simon & Schuster Hitlers Holy Relics
Book Synopsis
£15.20
Skyhorse Publishing The Nuremberg Trial
Book SynopsisHere is a gripping account of the major postwar trial of the Nazi hierarchy in World War II. The Nuremberg Trial brilliantly recreates the trial proceedings and offers a reasoned, often profound examination of the processes that created international law. From the whimpering of Kaltenbrunner and Ribbentrop on the stand to the icy coolness of Goering, each participant is vividly drawn. Includes twenty-four photographs of the key players as well as extensive references, sources, biographies, and an index.
£12.99
Birlinn General The Tartan Pimpernel
Book SynopsisThis is the remarkable story of Donald Caskie, minister of the Scots Kirk in Paris at the time of the German invasion of France in 1940. Although he had several opportunities to flee, Caskie stayed behind to help establish a network of safe houses and escape routes for Allied soldiers and airmen trapped in occupied territory. This was dangerous work, and despite the constant threat of capture and execution, Caskie showed enormous resourcefulness and courage as he aided thousands of servicemen to freedom. Finally arrested and interrogated, he was sentenced to death at a Nazi show-trial, and it was only through the intervention of a German pastor that he was saved. After the war, Caskie returned to the Scots Kirk, where he served as minister until 1960. This inspiring story of selfless commitment to others in the face of extreme adversity is the legacy of a truly brave man.Trade Review'More thrilling than any adventure story' - The Scotsman
£9.49
Editions du Seuil Glasgow
Book SynopsisIn 1980 Raymond Depardon fulfils an order for the Sunday Times Magazine, but the reportage will never be published. The pictures will wait in the photographer’s boxes until the exhibition Un moment si doux (Such a sweet moment) at the Grand Palais (14th November 2013 – 10th February 2014), where the audience discovers a sample of the Glasgow series and goes into raptures about it. Depardon grasps the light of Scotland as never before and sublimes the end of a working world. Glasgow’s cloudy skies and soaked ground give an extraordinary beauty to the wanderings of working people, hanging around in front of the shops, walking towards the factories’ walls and even playing about ruined houses. William Boyd, who is of Scottish descent and was educated in Glasgow, writes the preface of the book, which is bilingual (English-French). Here we publish the complete reportage: 72 colour photographs. The pictures will appear without captions, and only a short bilingual text by Depardon will introduce the reportage, behind Boyd’s foreword.
£20.89
Ivan R Dee, Inc A Train of Powder
Book SynopsisLike most all of Rebecca West's reportage, A Train of Powder approaches great literature. Written between 1946 and 1954, these accounts of four controversial trials explore the nature of crime and punishment, innocence and guilt, retribution and forgiveness. The centerpiece of the book is "Greenhouse with Cyclamens," a three-part essay on the Nuremberg trials written with precision, clarity, and daring insight. She also reports on two particularly brutal murder trials — one for a lynching in North Carolina, the other for a "torso murder" in England — and the espionage trial of a British telegrapher. Throughout, the question of guilt inspires Ms. West to feats of psychological detection wherein unerring craftsmanship and a powerful narrative sense combine to a high purpose — the pursuit of truth. "An astonishing book.... As compelling as Court TV but without the frisson of voyeurism (and with the compensatory satisfactions of West's breathtakingly lucid prose style), these elegant narratives remind us of the preciousness and fragility of our right to trial by jury."—Francine Prose. "It is her unique magic to combine impressionism and precision, as if Monet and Ingres could somehow be fused. Time and again a passage begins as a sort of iridescent cloud, and culminates in a diamond point."—Telford Taylor, Saturday Review. "Rebecca West...has raised journalism to a high art, breathing into it a depth, a poetry, a subtlety, and an understanding and compassion for human beings and their endless follies and tragedies that give it a legitimate place in contemporary literature."—William L. Shirer.Trade ReviewAn astonishing book...Elegant narratives with lucid prose. -- Francine ProseA beautiful example of journalism transformed into great art. -- Carl RollysonBrilliant and thought-provoking. * The Christian Science Monitor *West is a powerful and deadly serious writer, aware that our age has a beast in view...this belongs to the art of the really superb journalist. -- Maurice Dolbier * Harpers Wine & Spirit *Indisputably the world's Number 1 woman writer. * Time *
£15.73
Ivan R Dee, Inc In Search of Ancient Ireland: The Origins of the
Book SynopsisThis engaging book traces the history, archaeology, and legends of ancient Ireland from 9000 B.C., when nomadic hunter-gatherers appeared in Ireland at the end of the last Ice Age to 1167 A.D., when a Norman invasion brought the country under control of the English crown for the first time. So much of what people today accept as ancient Irish history—Celtic invaders from Europe turning Ireland into a Celtic nation; St. Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland and converting its people to Christianity—is myth and legend with little basis in reality. The truth is more interesting. The Irish, as the authors show, are not even Celtic in an archaeological sense. And there were plenty of bishops in Ireland before a British missionary called Patrick arrived. But In Search of Ancient Ireland is not simply the story of events from long ago. Across Ireland today are festivals, places, and folk customs that provide a tangible link to events thousands of years past. The authors visit and describe many of these places and festivals, talking to a wide variety of historians, scholars, poets, and storytellers in the very settings where history happened. Thus the book is also a journey on the ground to uncover ten thousand years of Irish identity. In Search of Ancient Ireland is the official companion to the three-part PBS documentary series. With 14 black-and-white photos, 6 b&w illustrations, and 1 map.Trade ReviewWell-written...informative...new and fascinating material challenging many myths. -- Lawrence J. McCaffrey, Emeritus Professor of History, Loyola University of ChicagoYour search for the roots of Irish history and culture begins here, with this marvelous book. -- Terry Golway * The New York Observer *Journeys across the centuries to explore fabled Erin's remarkable past and uncover the real story behind the island nation's rich global legacy. * Irish Connections *In bite-sized morsels that accommodate the busy lives of modern readers Search tells us about both the major figures central to momentous events and the daily lives of commoners. * Richmond Times-Dispatch *As much as can be excavated or deduced of ancient history is superbly featured with a wealth of fine detail in this fascinating and highly readable resource. * Library Bookwatch *...A clearly recommended pick for anyone interested in an updated, scholarly research tool covering the latest truths about Irish history.... Provides an important gateway to understanding early Irish roots. * The Bookwatch *...An illuminating look at the new finds and scholarship and their place in Ireland's past.... The deft and meticulously researched prose...brings ancient Ireland to vivid life. * Bostonirish.Com *A great story, interesting to read and appealing to anyone with an interest in Ireland...A readable history...poignant, not pedantic. -- Virginia Garnett * Carroll County Times *
£15.73
Vallentine Mitchell & Co Ltd In the Footsteps of the Jews of Greece: From
Book SynopsisGreek Jewry has a unique history in Europe. Greek Judaism is possibly the oldest faith on the continent. The Hellenized Romaniotes, the Sephardim from the western Mediterranean and the Ashkenazim from central Europe created a mosaic of communities across the country, each one with its own fascinating history and tradition. Thessaloniki, the ? Jerusalem of the Balkans? , Ioannina, the capital of the Romaniotes, Larissa, Volos, Patra, Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, Athens, and many others. These Jewish communities, together but also individually, are an integral part of the Greece? s rich history. This pioneering book presents a unique detailed historical overview of the history of Greek Jews from antiquity to the present day, including the period of the Shoah when nearly 90% of the community was annihilated. Beyond this historical landscape, the book also highlights the contributions of Greek Jews to the economic, cultural, intellectual and political life of the country, and reveals the golden times and the darkest days in the coexistence between Jews and Christians in Greece.
£21.80
HarperCollins Publishers Queen Victoria and her Prime Ministers
Book SynopsisIt is generally accepted that Queen Victoria reigned but did not rule. This couldn't be more wrong.
£11.69
Manchester University Press Drug Smuggler Nation: Narcotics and the
Book SynopsisWhy did the international drug regulatory regime of the twentieth century fail to stop an explosive increase in trade and consumption of illegal drugs? This book investigates the histories of smugglers and criminal entrepreneurs in the Netherlands who succeeded in turning the country into the so-called ‘Colombia of Europe’.Increasing state regulations and interventions led to the proliferation of a ‘hydra’ of small, anarchic groups and networks ideally suited to circumvent the enforcement of regulation. Smugglers and suppliers of heroin, cocaine, cannabis, and other drugs created a thriving underground industry of illegal synthetic drug labs and indoor cannabis cultivation in the Netherlands itself, made possible because of the embedded criminal anarchy in Dutch society.Using examples from the rich history of drug smuggling, Drug smuggler nation investigates the hidden grounds of the illegal drug trade, and its effects on our drug policies.Trade Review'Describing the development of covert networks is among the most daunting of social science projects. Like official corruption and espionage, organized crime prospers by remaining hidden. Snelders (Utrecht Univ.) successfully lifts the veil of secrecy, offering a convincing account of the evolution of drug smuggling in the 20th-century Netherlands. Combining materials drawn from official law enforcement statistics, crime news coverage, and academic journal articles, Snelders exposes drug smuggling in a new light. Rather than describe the handful of large-scale, highly integrated smuggling enterprises directed by criminal masterminds as often portrayed in works of popular culture, Snelders unveils an anarchic universe of small entrepreneurial enterprises connected through shared workplaces and/or culture. Overall, what Snelders strongly suggests is the virtual impossibility of finally suppressing drug smuggling.Summing Up: Recommended. All readers.'CHOICE (May 2022)'This thickly researched well-written book should be of great interest to historians, criminologists, and legal scholars alike. Frankly, I found little to argue with in this excellent book, which is a strong contribution to the intrinsically challenging and relatively new genre of smuggling history. In short, Drug Smuggler Nation is a deeply researched book that almost defines its place as interdisciplinary criminological history.'Paul Gootenberg, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books (March 2022)'All in all, there are very few improvements that one could suggest for Snelders’ superb study.'Peder Clark, European Review of History (May 2022) -- .Table of Contents1 Introduction: the drug regulatory regime vs. criminal anarchy2 The interwar period3 Global perils I: Chinese and Greek drug smugglers4 Cannabis, counterculture, and criminals: The rise of cannabis smuggling5 Global perils II: Chinese triads, Turkish families, and heroin6 The expansion of the cannabis trade after 19767 Global perils III: Colombian syndicates and cocaine8 The floodgates of criminal anarchy: Synthetic drugs and subverting the state9 ConclusionAppendix: Graphs of arrests and seizuresBibliographyIndex
£23.75
Cambridge University Press On a Knife Edge
Book SynopsisWas the outcome of the First World War on a knife edge? In this major new account of German wartime politics and strategy Holger Afflerbach argues that the outcome of the war was actually in the balance until relatively late in the war. Using new evidence from diaries, letters and memoirs, he fundamentally revises our understanding of German strategy from the decision to go to war and the failure of the western offensive to the radicalisation of Germany''s war effort under Hindenburg and Ludendorff and the ultimate collapse of the Central Powers. He uncovers the struggles in wartime Germany between supporters of peace and hardliners who wanted to fight to the finish. He suggests that Germany was not nearly as committed to all-out conquest as previous accounts argue. Numerous German peace advances could have offered the opportunity to end the war before it dragged Europe into the abyss.Trade Review'All future historians of the First World War will have to engage with Holger Afflerbach's important and authoritative book, and his powerful and provocative case that the conflict was more of a 'close run thing' than previously thought.' Jonathan Boff, author of Haig's Enemy: Crown Prince Rupprecht and Germany's War on the Western Front'A fascinating and provocative account – Afflerbach argues that the First World War could have ended in a draw and that the German leadership committed serious mistakes to lose it.' Annika Mombauer, author of The Origins of the First World War'Holger Afflerbach provides a comprehensive reassessment of Germany's conduct of the 1914-18 war. Drawing on fresh archival sources and an impressive command of the immense secondary literature, he offers a thought-provoking reappraisal of the entire history of that terrible conflict.' David Stevenson, author of With Our Backs to the Wall: Victory and Defeat in 1918'Boldly argued and beautifully written, Holger Afflerbach's On a Knife Edge vividly portrays Germany's strategic desperation in 1914-18 and reveals how the Allies' uncompromising pursuit of total victory radicalised the conflict and destroyed all hope of a lasting peace. Thought-provoking and sure to spark controversy – this is one of the most important and exciting new interpretations of the First World War!' Alexander Watson, author of Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War, 1914-1918'WWI scholars and enthusiasts will relish this exhaustive deep dive.' Publishers Weekly'… a highly readable account not only of the German side of the war but to some extent a retrospective on the war as a whole, one both enthusiasts and specialists can enjoy and fruitfully debate.' Avi Woolf, The Washington Examiner'This book is a political study of Germany's war effort, not a campaign narrative, though it tells the 1914–18 story very well … Afflerbach gathers many strands into a coherent argument, and offers a host of details that are likely to be unfamiliar even to veteran students of the conflict.' Max Hastings, The Sunday Times'… a revisionist spin … Afflerbach argues that Germany's defeat in 1918 was not inevitable. It could have gone either way on the battlefield, but internal turmoil was to blame for the defeat, leading to a peace not 'based on justice but instead … too harsh'.' Simon Heffer, Best History Books of the Year, Daily Telegraph'An impressive, well-researched and readable book which advances an important argument.' Military History Magazine'The author's knowledge … is nothing short of stupendous … Highly recommended.' Klaus Schmider, British Army ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Hybris: 1. The Road to War; 2. 'It can hardly go wrong now': The Schlieffen Plan and its Failure; 3. Tannenberg and the Rise of Hindenburg; 4. The European Stalemate; 5. A Strategy of Muddling Through? The War in 1915; 6. 'An Unparalleled Act of Barbarism': The Naval Blockade, Submarine Warfare and the Battle for American Neutrality; 7. 'Potato-bread Spirit': The German Home Front in 1914-16; 8. Squaring the Circle: Falkenhayn and Verdun 1916; 9. Summer 1916: The Allied Attack on all Fronts and its Failure; Part II. Climax: At the apex of war: 10. 'Only a Miracle can Save us Now': Germany and the War in the autumn of 1916; 11. Action Stations, Panic Stations: The Radicalisation of Germany's Strategy under the Third OHL; 12. 'A Stroke of Genius': Tentative Offers of Peace in December 1916; 13. The misjudged stand-off: Unrestricted submarine warfare and the USA's entry into the war; Part III. Nemesis: The defeat of the Central Powers and the destruction of the European Order: 14. Military Developments in the First Half of 1917; 15. The First Russian Revolution and the Opportunity for a Peace Agreement with the Russian Democracy; 16. 'War Psychosis?' The Reichstag's Peace Offer and Bethmann Hollweg's Demission; 17. 'The Unmasking of the Central Powers?' Victory and Peace in the East; 18. 'Glorious, but hopeless': Germany's Position at the Turn of the Year 1917/18; 19. 'Ludendorff's Hammer': The Western Offensive of 1918; 20. 'Now the War was Lost': The Military Collapse of the Central Powers; 21. 'Savage in Victory, Contemptuous in Defeat': Germany's Route out of the War; The Final Reckoning: A Terrible Debt that Must be Paid.
£21.25
Princeton University Press Pioneers of Capitalism
Book SynopsisTrade Review"A FiveBooks Best Economic History Book of the Year""An excellent book."---Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution"[Prak and van Zanden] have provided a path forward for studying economic history that takes complexity seriously without letting it prevent us from getting to the important truths of economic history. One can only hope that more social and economic historians follow Prak and van Zanden’s path in the future."---Samuel Gregg, Engelsberg Ideas"[Pioneers of Capitalism] will be the standard work on the topic for years and perhaps decades to come, as it offers a very well-written and powerful account of the rise and fall of the Dutch Republic in the medieval and early modern periods."---Gijs Dreijer, Business History Review"[Pioneers of Capitalism] surpasses the previous syntheses of Dutch capitalism by bringing it in line with recent developments in economic history. . . . Fascinating."---Bas Spliet, Journal of European Economic History
£29.75
C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd The Sami Peoples of the North: A Social and
Book SynopsisThe first comprehensive history of the Sami people of the Nordic countries and northwestern Russia. There is no single volume which encompasses an integrated social and cultural history of the Sami people from the Nordic countries and northwestern Russia. Neil Kent's book fills this lacuna. In the first instance, he considers how the Sami homeland is defined: its geography, climate, and early contact with other peoples. He then moves on to its early chronicles and the onset of colonisation, which changed Sami life profoundly over the last millennium. Thereafter, the nature of Sami ethnicity is examined, in the context of the peoples among whom the Sami increasingly lived, as well as the growing intrusions of the states who claimed sovereignty over them. The Soviet gulag, the Lapland War and increasing urbanisation all impacted upon Sami life. Religion, too, played an important role from pre-historic times, with their pantheon of gods and sacred sites, to their Christianisation. In the late twentieth century there has been an increasing symbiosis of ancient Sami spiritual practice with Christianity. Recently the intrusions of the logging and nuclear industries, as well as tourism have come to redefine Sami society and culture. Even the meaning of who exactly a Sami is is scrutinised, at a time when some intermarry and yet return to Sapmi, where their children maintain their Sami identity.Trade Review'This detailed and comprehensive study of a people who have lived for thousands of years on Europe's northernmost margins reveals an astonishing diversity of language, culture and livelihoods. The lands of the Sami, as Neil Kent so ably shows, embrace far more than reindeers and Yuletide tourism.' * David Kirby, Emeritus Professor of Modern History, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London and author of A Concise History of Finland *'The Sami People of the North is exhaustive, nuanced, and best of all, accessible. With his sustained attention to historical detail, Neil Kent has done a valuable service for anyone thinking about the Sami - or, for that matter, indigenous populations generally.' * Nick McDonell, author of Twelve and The Civilization of Perpetual Movement: Nomadism in World Politics *
£18.04
Pluto Press Revolutionary Berlin A Walking Guide
Book SynopsisAn immersive radical walking guide to one of Europe's most popular citiesTrade Review'A guide through Berlin's riveting history that is gripping, tragic, triumphant and above all, authentic' -- Dan Arrows, host of 'The Iron Dice' Podcast'Fascinating and eclectic. This guidebook illuminates hidden histories with clarity, honesty, wit and irony. Read it and walk it!' -- David Rosenberg, author of 'Rebel Footprints''Inspirational. This collection of walking tours of Red Berlin is full of wonderful tales from a city which has, despite everything, remained experimental and revolutionary while others have become little more than malls or museums, all related with a deliciously bone-dry Berlinische humour' -- Owen Hatherley, author of Red MetropolisTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Abbreviations and German Words Introduction 1. (Anti)Colonialism 2. November Revolution 3. Rosa Luxemburg’s Berlin 4. Neukölln Will Stay Red! 5. 1968 in West Berlin 6. Riots in Kreuzberg 7. The East Is Red 8. Queer Berlin 9. Berlinerinnen 10. Afterword: Where This Book Was Written About the Author Index
£68.00
Yale University Press The British Way of War
Book SynopsisHow a strategist's ideas were catastrophically ignored in 1914—but shaped Britain’s success in the Second World War and beyondTrade Review“One of the most substantive studies we have yet of a British public intellectual in the early decades of the twentieth century. . . . A powerful and opinionated book, and a larger achievement for being so.”—Paul Kennedy, Journal of Military History “This book is a must. . . . As ever with Professor Lambert, the prose is flowing and engaging, the arguments convincing, and the stamp of rigorous scholarship and considerable thinking evident on every page.”—G. H. Bennett, Journal of Military History“Lambert leaves no stone unturned. This incredibly well-researched book unpicks Corbett’s life, his times, his contribution to naval thought and education, and his lasting legacy on what might be termed the British Way of War. This book isn’t just recommended, it is an immediate necessity for the shelves of any and every serious navalist.”—Captain Kevin Rowlands RN, Naval Review“The British Way of War . . . is a blockbuster but it is beautifully written in peerless prose. It is keenly argued and easily takes its place in the pantheon of great naval literature. It is also timely, coming as the UK attempts to shape itself as ‘Global Britain.’”—Peter Hore, Warships International Fleet Review“This is quite simply a wonderful book, rich in understanding and knowledge. It is, in many ways, the culmination of Lambert’s work on the development of British naval and strategic thinking through the 19th century. It is warmly recommended.”—Robin Brodhurst, Western Front Association“A wonderfully detailed and thoroughly researched biography. . . . [Lambert] not only conducts a biographical study of Corbett’s life, but examines the historical events and debates that both shaped and gave purpose to his analysis.”—Darin MacDonald, Global Maritime History“Andrew Lambert trawls through all of the relevant archives to uncover Corbett’s life and times, and then to overturn the standard accounts of British seapower from 1895 to 1915. This outstanding work will become an essential text for anyone interested in naval history and strategy.”—John Ferris, author of Behind the Enigma“Andrew Lambert, the leading naval historian of our generation, writing a biography of Sir Julian Corbett, the best maritime strategist ever: this is a perfect match. The result is a tremendously erudite, beautifully written study of Corbett’s thoughts and world in all its detail, against the background of Britain’s global politics of his times.”—Beatrice Heuser, author of The Evolution of Strategy
£23.75
Pan Macmillan Machiavelli
Book SynopsisA comprehensive, authoritative and highly original portrait of one of history's most unjustly infamous characters.Trade ReviewThe result is a life of Machiavelli that must surely be definitive in its faithfulness to the man and his experience of his time . . . Lee presents a novel interpretation of his subject's thinking. -- John Gray * New Statesman *Detailed, accessible and authoritative . . . an utterly absorbing month-by-month, often day-by-day account of Machiavelli's life and career. -- John Guy * Literary Review *A fine new biography. -- Simon Heffer * Telegraph *A superb work of scholarship, securely grounded in the turbulent Italy of Machiavelli's day, and unflinchingly truthful . . . Lee retells the stories of plagues and brush-offs, of brothels, betrayals and massacres, in a brisk and compelling style. -- Ferdinand Mount * Prospect *[A] weighty and impressively detailed biography -- Michael Prodger * The Times *[T]he definitive book on Machiavelli -- Christopher Hart * Sunday Times *A wonderfully assured and utterly riveting biography that captures not only the much-maligned Machiavelli, but also the spirit of his time and place. A monumental achievement. -- Jessie Childs, author of God's TraitorsAlexander Lee’s Machiavelli: His Life and Times sets a wholly new standard for English-language biographies of the Florentine thinker, synthesising recent academic research and placing his subject in a vividly described context of Renaissance society and everyday life -- Tony Barber * Financial Times *His life and times are presented in their complex, contradictory fullness, as is Machiavelli himself . . . Lee is to be especially applauded for his even-handed treatment of a controversial historical figure. -- Joanne Paul * BBC History Magazine *From Lee's magisterial biography, rich in detail and light on speculation, the writer emerges as a flawed but markedly fascinating individual -- Nicholas Cranfield * Church Times *[A] fine new biography ... Lee tells his story with verve. -- Lauro Martines * Times Literary Supplement *Immensely readable . . . Machiavelli emerges from Lee’s account as one of the Italian Renaissance’s greatest figures. * Financial Times 'Books of the Summer' *Such is its hefty size that I set out to read Alexander Lee’s Machiavelli at a lick. However, it is so rich in granular detail – not just about the surprisingly hapless man himself, but about Florentine society and the wars that scudded across Renaissance Italy – that I was forced to take it slowly, and was rewarded handsomely. -- Michael Prodger * New Statesman 'Books of the Year' *Lee’s exhaustive, balanced and immensely readable work, sets a wholly new standard for English-language biographies of Machiavelli. -- Tony Barber * Financial Times 'Books of the Year' *
£11.69
Lomond Books Scottish Clans & Tartans
Book Synopsis
£8.21
Oxford University Press Reflections on the Revolution in France
Book SynopsisEdmund Burke was the dominant political thinker of the last quarter of the eighteenth century in England. His reputation depends less on his role as a practising politician than on his ability to set contemporary problems within a wider context of political theory. Above all, he commented on change. He tried to teach lessons about how change should be managed, what limits should not be transgressed, and what should be reverently preserved. Burke''s generation was much in need of advice on these matters. The Industrial Revolution, the American Revolution, and catastrophically, the French Revolution presented challenges of terrible proportions. They could promise paradise or threaten anarchy. Burke was acutely aware of how high the stakes were. The Reflections on the Revolution in France was a dire warning of the consequences that would follow the mismanagement of change. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
£8.99
Melville House UK Eurovision!: A History of Modern Europe Through
Book SynopsisDo you think the world of the Eurovision Song Contest, with its crazy props, even crazier dancers and crazier still songs has nothing to do with serious European politics? Think again. The contest has been a mirror for cultural, social and political developments in Europe ever since its inauguration in 1956. It has been a voice of rebellion across the Iron Curtain, the voice of liberation for both sexual and regional minorities and it even once triggered a national revolution. Eurovision! charts both the history of Europe and the history of the Eurovision Song Contest over the last six decades, and shows how seamlessly they interlink - and what an amazing journey it has been. This updated edition takes in every content up to 2022.Trade Review'A feast for any Eurovision fan. As thorough a history of the contest as anyone could desire.' Graham Norton
£9.49
Cornell University Press Witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine 10001900
Book SynopsisFor any serious scholar of Russian and Ukrainian witchcraft and magic, this volume is a 'must read.'... Scholars of folklore and popular culture also will find much of value. âFolklorica This sourcebook provides the first systematic overview of witchcraft laws and trials in Russia and Ukraine from medieval times to the late nineteenth century.Witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine, 10001900 weaves scholarly commentary with never-before-published primary source materials translated from Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian. These sources include the earliest references to witchcraft and sorcery, secular and religious laws regarding witchcraft and possession, full trial transcripts, and a wealth of magical spells. The documents present a rich panorama of daily life and reveal the extraordinary power of magical words. Editors Valerie A. Kivelson and Christine D. Worobec present new analyses of the workings and evolution of legal systems, the interplay and tensions between church and state, and the prosaic concerns of the women and men involved in witchcraft proceedings. The extended documentary commentaries also explore the shifting boundaries and fraught political relations between Russia and Ukraine.Trade ReviewThis substantial volume by two leading scholars in the field is a major contribution to the study of witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine and to the study of witchcraft in general, which often omits these regions. Overall, this is a tremendously useful book for students of witchcraft history, especially non-Slavists, and all historians of Russian and Ukrainian culture would do well to have it on their bookshelves. * Russian Review *[This book] allows us to see dozens of examples[,] each presented in English translation with extensive coverage that provides a great introduction to the topic, even for a person unfamiliar with the subject. [This] is an extremely important and well-made sourcebook that should be read not only by religion and history scholars studying witch trials, but also by a wide range of historians studying the medieval, early modern, and modern ages in general. * Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft *For any serious scholar of Russian and Ukrainian witchcraft and magic, this volume is a 'must read.'... Scholars of folklore and popular culture also will find much of value. * Folklorica *Valerie Kivelson and Christine Worobec number among the leading scholars who study the history of witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine. Scholars of witchcraft outside the area of Russian and Ukrainian studies can use this volume as an entrée into that milieu. * Folklorica *Kivelson and Christine Worobec have succeeded in editing a similarly impressive broad collection of documents that spans nine centuries related to witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine.Kivelson and Worobec have put together a truly astounding piece of scholarship that will be of great service to scholars and students throughout the world wishing to know more about the prevalence and special characteristics of witchcraft in the Eastern Slavic realms of Russia and Ukraine.Witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine is an essential work for specialists in many fields of the cultural and social history of Russia and Ukraine since 1000. * Slavonic and East European Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: HISTORICAL EVOLUTION, LAW, AND PROSECUTION 1. Early Accounts of Witchcraft, Sorcery, and Magic in Medieval Rus 1.1. Pagan Soothsayers and Magicians in the Primary Chronicle 1.2. "Maybe, but God Knows": Sorcery in the Novgorodian Chronicle (1227) 1.3. Bishop Serapion of Vladimir Condemns Belief in Witchcraft (1274) 1.4. St. Alimpii and the Leper Who Consulted Magicians (Kyivan Patericon) 2. Witchcraft and Politics in Muscovy and the Hetmanate 2.1. The Death of Maria of Tver, Ivan III's First Wife, by Witchcraft (1467) 2.2. Witchcraft Accusations against Grand Princess Sofia Paleologue (1497) 2.3. Witchcraft Accusations against Grand Princess Solomonia Saburova (1525) 2.4. Trials of Maksim the Greek for Treason, Heresy, and Sorcery (1525 & 1531) 2.5. The Great Moscow Fire and the Sprinkling of Human Hearts by the Tsar's Grandmother, Anna Glinskaia (1547) 2.6. Ivan Peresvetov's 1549 Tale about Sorcery at Court in the Final Days of the Byzantine Empire (Excerpts from the "Greater Petition") 2.7. Jerome Horsey on Witchcraft at the Court of Ivan IV (the Terrible) 2.8. The Vicious Sorcerer Eleazar Bomelius Described in a Russian Chronicle 2.9. Sorcery Allegations from Ivan the Terrible's Correspondence with Prince Kurbskii and Kurbskii's History of the Grand Prince of Moscow 2.10. Loyalty Oaths 2.11. Grigorii Kotoshikhin and Samuel Collins on the Alleged Poisoning or Bewitchment of Tsar Aleksei Mikhailovich's First Betrothed, and on Bewitchment at Weddings (1647) 2.12. Hetman Ivan Briukhovetskii's Burning of Witches (1666) 2.13. Political Sorcery against the Prussian King (1760) 3. Laws and Guidelines concerning the Prosecution of Witchcraft, Late Twelfth Century to 1885 3.1. Byzantine Church Law and Its Echoes in Russia Kormchaia kniga, 1653 Excerpt from a court case from the late 1660s containing a fragment of the Kormchaia Church Statute of Iaroslav the Wise (late twelfth/early thirteenth century) Russian Orthodox penitential listings involving sorcery and magic (fourteenth—early nineteenth centuries) The Domostroi: A household handbook of the mid-sixteenth century 3.2. Excerpts from Charles V's 1532 Constitutio Criminalis Carolina and the 1559 Polish Version 3.3. Procedures for the Courts and Affairs of Towns under Magdeburg Law under the Polish Crown (1559) 3.4. Questions and Answers from the Moscow Church Council (Stoglav) of 1551 3.5. Ivan IV's 1552 Law on Witchcraft 3.6. 1589 Law on the Honor of Witches 3.7. 1648 Decree against Devilish Conduct 3.8. Sobornoe ulozhenie: The Conciliar Law Code of 1649 3.9. Aleksei Mikhailovich's Decree Prohibiting Witchcraft and Activities Repellent to God (1653) 3.10. "Newly Established Articles on Robbery, Brigandage, and Murder" (1669) 3.11. Grigorii Kotoshikhin on Muscovite Judicial Process, Torture, and Execution (1660s) 3.12. Peter I's 1715 Decree against Shriekers (the Demonically Possessed) 3.13. Peter I's 1716 Military Statute and Suggested Revisions to Its Religious Articles (1725) 3.14. Excerpts from the Spiritual Regulation (1721) 3.15. Holy Synod's Decree against the Swimming of Individuals (1721) 3.16. Empress Anna Ioannovna's Decree against Wizardry (1731) 3.17. Catherine II's 1767 Instructions to the Legislative Commission and the Holy Synod's Response 3.18. Senate's Ruling Admonishing Judges (1770) 3.19. Catherine II's Decrees (1775 and 1782) 3.20. Excerpts from the Criminal Laws: 1842, 1845, and 1885 editions 4. Witchcraft Trials' Processes (Charges and Countercharges) and Extralegal Prosecution of Witchcraft: Complete Records A: Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (PLC) and The Hetmanate 4.1. Andrei Kurbskii's Sorcery Allegations against His Wife, Marina Andreevna Golshanskaia, in Divorce Proceedings (1578) 4.2. False Accusation of Witchcraft against Siemionowa Pauciutina, a Cossack Woman (1634) 4.3. Swimming of Witches in Podillia (1711) 4.4. Witchcraft and Infanticide (1753) B: Muscovy and Imperial Russia 4.5. The Trial of the Old Peasant Woman Baba Daritsa and Others (1647) 4.6. A Case of Suspicious Roots: Rogataia Baba and the Use of Torture (1647–48) 4.7. A Mass Outbreak of Possession in the Town of Lukh (1656–60) 4.8. The 1758 Trial of Chamberlain Petr Vasilevich Saltykov 4.9. The 1764–65 Case against the Peasant Ekaterina Ivanova for Dabbling in Witchcraft 4.10. An Epidemic of Demonic Possession in a Urals Foundry Town (1839–40) 4.11. The 1853 Case against the Serf Gerasim Fedotov for Witchcraft 4.12. The Mob Murder of Agrafena Dmitrievna Chindiaikina, a Suspected Witch (1880) 4.13. A Woman Accused of Sorcery Has Her Day in Court (Early 1900s) Part II: MAGICAL PRACTICES, EVERYDAY MATTERS,AND THE POWER OF WORDS: TRIAL EXCERPTS 5. Healing and Harming 5.1. Consultation with the Doctors of the Apothecary Chancellery (1628) 5.2. A Case of Enchanted Brew (1653) 5.3. Healing or Cursing? Mysterious Ingredients Raise Suspicion (1658) 5.4. The Bewitchment of Priest David and His Family by Their Domestic Workers (1676) 5.5. Witchcraft Suspected as the Cause of a Child's Death (PLC, 1732) 5.6. A Case of Milk Magic: Borrowed Pots and Bewitched Cows (PLC, 1728–31) 5.7. An Alleged Murder by Way of Witchcraft (1844–45) 5.8. No Place Is Safe from This Witch: The Case against Agafia Poliarpova (1848–49) 6. Sex/Love/Anti-Love Magic 6.1. A Case of Peasant Women's Love Magic and Vengeance, Shatsk (1647) 6.2. Bewitchment at Weddings (1648) 6.3. Iatsykha Polyveichykha Seeks to Bewitch her Husband's Lover (Hetmanate, 1675) 6.4. A Case of Rape and Spells to Inflame Desire (Semen Aigustov, Borovsk, 1689) 6.5. A Wife Suspected of Witchcraft: The Case of Anna Grekowiczewa (PLC, 1717) 6.6. Seeking a Witch or Sorcerer to Kill a Husband? (PLC, 1742) 7. Power Relations and Hierarchy 7.1. "Making My Master and All Women Bend to My Will": A Case of Subversive Spells (1648) 7.2. The Serf Woman Onuitka Avenges Ill-Treatment by the Estate Bailiff (1658) 7.3. The Servant Motruna Perysta Accused of Bewitching Her Master's Family (PLC, 1730) 7.4. How to Make All Authorities Subservient: The Magical Notebooks of Defrocked Priest Petr Osipov (1732) 7.5. A Matter of a Love Potion and Sexual Pursuit of a Menial by His Mistress, Lady Ruszkowska (PLC, 1749) 7.6. "So His Master Would Treat Him Well": The Peasant Grigorii Shilin's Ritual Use of Roots and Wax (1762) 7.7. Securing Patronage: A Spell in the Hands of Ivan Sokolov, A Highly Ranked Officer and Nobleman (1774) 7.8. Controlling a Master's Will: Divination and Enchanted Wax (1840) 8. Possession 8.1. Bewitchment at a Communal Banquet: The Petition of Ivan Shenin (1611) 8.2. Testimony of the Bewitched from the Possession Outbreak in Lukh (1656–58) 8.3. A Healer Accused of Dabbling in Witchcraft and Exorcising Demons (PLC, 1710) 8.4. An Epidemic of Shrieking and Writhing in a Village Destabilized by Manumission (1833) 8.5. Fits of Hiccuping (1833) 9. Satanic Pacts/Diabolism 9.1. "I Swear Allegiance to Satan": A Satanic Pact in the Seventeenth Century (1663–64) 9.2. "My Father Satan": Spells, Possession, and Fraternal Rivalry (1672) 9.3. A Case of Satanic Love Magic (Avdotia Borisova, 1733) 9.4. A Pact with the Dark-Visaged Master of the Hellish Abyss and His Servant Demons (Hetmanate, 1749) 9.5. The Priest Makarii Ivanov and Others Are Charged in 1753 with Possessing Booklets about Sorcery: A Demonic Incantation for Lust 9.6. God-renouncing Letters (1751): Perdun 9.7. Case of the Soldier Semen Popov, Who Renounced God and Gave His Soul to the Devil (1759) 10. Orality/Literacy 10.1. Case of the Siberian Trapper Found Carrying Spells (1652) 10.2. A Theological Defense of Herbal Healing: Petition of Ivan Ivanov, Priest of the Church of the Nativity in Komersk District, to Simon, Archbishop of Vologda and Belozersk (1679–80) 10.3. A Hegumen's Possession of Magical and Fortune-telling Texts (1720) 10.4. Transcription of an Offensive Note by a Noble Architectural Journeyman, Aleksei Petrovich Evlashev (1731) 10.5. An Incriminating Notebook of Incantations and Spells (1737) 11. Specialists in Magic 11.1. Specialists in Plants and Roots: Poisoning and Healing in Consultation with a Professional Herbalist (1692) 11.2. Spoiling a Harvest by Means of Witchcraft: Knotted Grain Stalks— a Reluctant Specialist (Hetmanate, 1765) 11.3. Case against a Fourteen-Year-Old Boy for Fraudulent Divination (Russian Ukraine, 1839)
£26.59
Luath Press Ltd The Highland Clearances Trail
Book SynopsisThe Highland Clearances Trail answers the where, why, what and whens of the Highland Clearances. Taking you around the significant sites of the Highland Clearances this vivid guide gives a scholarly introduction to a tragic moment in Scotland's history. Perthshire, Ross-Shire, Arran, Sutherland and Caithness are among the many areas covered. With full background information supplied, along with maps and illustrations, The Highland Clearances Trail provides an alternative route around the Highlands that will leave the reader with a deeper understanding of this sublime landscape.Trade ReviewGibson won’t lack supporters. Financial Times MagazineIt is important to get the whole movement into perspective and examine the truth of the matter and I hope that this well-written book will address the balance. Highland News
£7.59
Atlantic Books Spitfire: The Biography
Book SynopsisUpdated edition to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.It is difficult to overestimate the excitement that accompanied the birth of the Spitfire. An aircraft imbued with balletic grace and extraordinary versatility, it was powered by a piston engine and a propeller, yet came tantalisingly close to breaking the sound barrier. First flown in 1936, the Spitfire soon came to symbolize Britain's defiance of Nazi Germany in the summer of 1940.Spitfire: The Biography is a celebration of a great British invention, of the men and women who flew it and supported its development, and of the industry that manufactured both the aircraft and the Rolls-Royce engines that powered it. It is also about the ways in which the sight, sound and fury of this lithe and legendary fighter continue to stir the public imagination worldwide more than eighty years on.Trade ReviewHugely entertaining -- James HollandAn authoritative and comprehensive tribute to a unique aircraft. -- Adrian Swire * Spectator *A drama that cannot help take wing. The elements still excite the imagination and raise the heart. -- Tom Fort * Sunday Telegraph *Eclectic and entertaining -- Patrick Bishop * Literary Review *A wonderful book -- Rowland WhiteTable of Contents1: Of Monoplanes and Men 2: The Thin Blue Line 3: Survival of the Fittest 4: The Long Goodbye 5: First among Equals 6: The Spitfire Spirit
£8.49
Mariner Books The Winter Army
Book Synopsis
£15.29
Biteback Publishing Radical Scotland: Uncovering Scotland's radical
Book SynopsisThe Political Martyrs memorial in Edinburgh looms large on the city's skyline but its history is relatively unknown. And that is not by accident. As Edinburgh's New Town was constructed, a narrative of kilts and loyalty was created for Scotland, with its radical history deliberately excluded. The French Revolution lit a spark in Scotland, inspiring radicals and working people alike, and uniting them in opposition to the King and his government. The oligarchy of landowners that ran Scotland was worried. Leading radicals like Thomas Muir and fellow political martyrs were later rounded up and transported to Botany Bay. But the radicals fought back and formed the United Scotsmen, seeking widespread political reform throughout the Union and prepared to use physical force in defence of their ideals and as social and economic hardship followed in Waterloo's wake, the flame of radicalism was further ignited. This is Scotland's Radical History.
£17.00
Princeton University Press Greek Buddha
Book SynopsisTrade Review"The book offers a new and refreshing approach. It repeatedly calls for more work in various fields, and it should be hoped that scholars do not shy away from taking up the many challenges it raises."--Matthew Neale, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies "Beckwith weaves into Greek Buddha long-standing questions about the origins of Buddhism, contact between Buddhism and ancient Greeks following the incursion of Alexander the Great into Central Asia in the fourth century BCE, and the nature of ethical knowledge... This is excellent scholarship, and Beckwith presents his thesis with skill, insight, and scholarly probity."--ChoiceTable of ContentsPreface vii Acknowledgements xv On Transcription, Transliteration, and Texts xix Abbreviations xxi Prologue: Scythian Philosophy: Pyrrho, the Persian Empire, and India 1 Chapter 1 Pyrrho's Thought: Beyond Humanity 22 Chapter 2 No Differentiations: The Earliest Attested Forms of Buddhism 61 Chapter 3 Jade Yoga and Heavenly Dharma: Buddhist Thought in Classical Age China and India 110 Chapter 4 Greek Enlightenment: What the Buddha, Pyrrho, and Hume Argue Against 138 Epilogue: Pyrrho's Teacher: The Buddha and His Awakening 160 Appendix A The Classical Testimonies of Pyrrho's Thought 180 Appendix B Are Pyrrhonism and Buddhism Both Greek in Origin? 218 Appendix C On the Early Indian Inscriptions 226 Endnotes 251 References 257 Index 269
£21.25
Atlantic Books The Magic Lantern: The Revolution of '89
Book SynopsisThe Magic Lantern is one of those rare books that capture history in the making, written by an author who was witness to some of the most remarkable moments that marked the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe. Timothy Garton Ash was there in Warsaw, on 4 June, when the communist government was humiliated by Solidarity in the first semi-free elections since the Second World War. He was there in Budapest, twelve days later, when Imre Nagy - thirty-one years after his execution - was finally given his proper funeral. He was there in Berlin, as the Wall opened. And most remarkable of all, he was there in Prague, in the back rooms of the Magic Lantern theatre, with Václav Havel and the members of Civic Forum, as they made their 'Velvet Revolution'.Trade ReviewIn the future, there will probably be streets in Warsaw, Prague and Budapest bearing the name of Timothy Garton Ash -- Karel Kyncl * Independent *A wonderful combination of first-class reporting, brilliant political analysis and reflection. * New York Times Book Review *[Garton Ash's] own involvement in these events, intellectual and emotional, is of such intensity that he can speak... from the inside as well as from the outside. Yet the sense of historic dimension... is never lost. And the quality of the writing places it clearly in the category of good literature. * George Kennan *Along with the historian's long view, Garton Ash has an eye and an ear for the telling detail. * Washington Post Book World *Table of Contents1: Witness and History 2: Warsaw: The First Election 3: Budapest: The Last Funeral 4: Berlin: Wall's End 5: Prague: Inside the Magic Lantern 6: The Year of Truth 7: Thirty Years On: Time for a New Liberation?
£10.44
Rizzoli International Publications English Gardens From the Archives of Country Life
Book SynopsisThis is the definitive and most authoritative book ever published on the glories of English gardening--historically and horticulturally, a tour de force.An unprecedented in-depth look at the English garden by one of Britain's foremost garden writers and authorities, this book showcases the enduring appeal of the English garden whose verdant lawns and borders of colorful plants are the inspiration for garden lovers worldwide. Kathryn Bradley-Hole--the longtime garden columnist for Country Life--takes a fresh look at more than seventy gardens from across England and distills the essence of what makes the English garden style so sought after.Seasonal photographs capture the gardens--some grand, some personal, some celebrated, some rarely photographed--at their finest moments, accompanied by sparkling, insightful text. Featuring photographs from the unparalleled archives of Country Life, the full story of the English garden is here, from medieval monastTrade ReviewAt a time when the very idea of travel is inconceivable, what a gift to be taken on an armchair tour of the great English gardens, courtesy of the magnificent “English Gardens: From the Archives of Country Life Magazine” (Rizzoli, 491 pages, $85). Kathryn Bradley-Hole, the illustrated British weekly’s garden editor for 18 years, has chosen 62 garden profiles from the nearly 900 she wrote during her tenure. Her selection—featuring gardens and country houses large and small, from the ancient to the lately established—is divided into 17 thematic sections, from topiary, formal and cottage gardens to decidedly postmodern gardens designed to “succeed in an environmentally challenging world.” The concise profiles are accompanied by full-color images by many of today’s outstanding English landscape photographers, and some also by fascinating archival materials. Section headers and picture captions provide historical context, addressing the impact on gardens of changing styles, design, economics and technology...The current Duke of Devonshire wrote the book’s foreword; his estate, Chatsworth House (profiled here twice), is one of the grandest of them all. —WALL STREET JOURNAL An instant classic, Kathryn Bradley-Hole’s ENGLISH GARDENS: From the Archives of Country Life (Rizzoli, 491 pp., $85) contains a lifetime of travel itineraries. Great Dixter in East Sussex is vibrant with experiments in color and texture; tulips dance through a box parterre at Broughton Grange, an Oxfordshire garden recently designed by Tom Stuart-Smith — who has also been invited to refresh parts of the garden at Chatsworth for the Duke of Devonshire. —NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW With its history and portraits of more than 70 beautiful gardens, this book is an instant classic. The author is the former garden editor of the revered British magazine, and uses its exceptional photographs. Many of these gardens, new and old, are open to the public. —BOSTON GLOBE
£50.00
